


Amongst the Stacks

by summerplaylist



Category: The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword
Genre: Alternate Universe - Library, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-07
Updated: 2016-08-07
Packaged: 2018-07-29 19:19:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,285
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7696207
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/summerplaylist/pseuds/summerplaylist
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“What's up?” Link asked, immediately cringing. <i>Way to sound cool! Just sound like every other teenager on the planet!</i></p>
            </blockquote>





	Amongst the Stacks

Link didn't feel like dealing with patrons. Nope, not at all. So when his least favorite patron, Ghirahim, wandered in through the doors, he was quick to drop whatever he was doing—which was probably something important, now that he thought about it—and run to hide amongst the stacks before Ghirahim could talk to him.

He held a book that he couldn't remember grabbing close to his chest and hoped—no, _prayed_ —that Ghirahim wouldn't be looking for a good mystery today. Particularly one from the exact section Link was standing.

Not to mention, Link picked a bad spot to watch for unwanted patrons. He couldn't even see anything but books and more books, just a sea of books. Really, books were Link's entire life right now, so he shouldn't have been so surprised.

The panic was very real. Link tensed when he heard footsteps, dropping the book to the floor, ready to dart away into the nonfiction section. But it wasn't Ghirahim, just an old woman who smiled and then walked on, probably wondering why Link was freaking out but was too freaked out herself to ask.

The panic rose and Link was almost tempted to poke his head out from the stacks for a quick peek, but then Ghirahim would surely see him and bounce over.

But then again, Ghirahim could already be approaching him. Link hadn't gotten a good look at him before running away, but he was almost completely sure that Ghirahim would be clad in skin-tight jeans—the kind that Link always pretended not to notice but always did—and he would be smirking and just waiting to brighten Link's day with a joke or random story. Beautifully oblivious to Link's sinking heart and the wish he would have just stayed in bed that day.

And why was Ghirahim his least favorite patron? Because he made Link's coworkers tease him. Relentlessly. And it wasn't like Ghirahim had a particularly nice mouth on him—every other word was a swear word or insult. And it began getting a little awkward when Link had to admit that he didn't even know the guy; he just walked in and talked to him one day.

And didn't stop.

Not that the attention was terribly unwanted. If Link said it was, Ghirahim would stop talking to him altogether. Link knew that without a doubt. But he also knew what would happen if the attention continued—his coworkers would begin teasing Ghirahim as well.

And then Ghirahim would stop coming.

And everything would be ruined.

Link was in the process of trying to look between a gap in a stack of books when those very books were pulled, clattering to the floor in a mighty heap. Ghirahim's grin instantly filled his vision.

Link stared at his mouth a little too long. So he decided to look at the rest of Ghirahim's face today, which was as flawless as usual. He was donning purple eyeshadow and black eyeliner, and his hair was its usual silver. Link wanted to know his secrets; he had never seen dark roots poking through. Not once.

Link, on the other hand, was wearing his usual—thick, black glasses that didn't feel nearly as cool as when he bought them, and a random button-up shirt and pair of jeans because he really couldn't bother to care about anything today if he didn't want to be late to work. Again.

Now Link was beginning to wish he had put a little more thought into his appearance.

“I found you,” Ghirahim said eventually. As always, he had to say the obvious. If he didn't, Link would have been worried about his mental health. Ghirahim then proceeded to poke out his tongue, sending a flutter up to Link's heart that was beginning to feel less and less unfamiliar the more he and Ghirahim spoke to one another.

When Link didn't say anything—he was too busy trying to control his heart—Ghirahim frowned. “Were you hiding from me today?”

“Of course not,” Link said, wishing his voice didn't crack at the end. He coughed, hoping it sounded nonchalant and not like he was trying to make his voice not crack. Because Ghirahim might not have even noticed, and if he noticed him coughing now, he'd probably notice his voice had cracked and then all of Link's efforts at seeming cool and nonchalant would be ruined. “I was just... shelving.”

Ghirahim blinked. “Oh, really? I thought you got promoted and didn't have to shelve anymore, library boy.”

Link blushed down to his toes. Ghirahim laughed, walking around to the other side, where Link was still standing with his head pressed against the empty shelf like Ghirahim was still there.

“I've been wanting to ask you something,” Ghirahim said. And did he sound… nervous? That was unusual. Link looked up at him. Ghirahim was so much taller that Link felt like he must have been a giraffe in a past life.

“What's up?” Link asked, immediately cringing. _Way to sound cool! Just sound like every other teenager on the planet!_

“Would you like to go out for coffee sometime?” Ghirahim didn't seem so tall all of a sudden. He seemed normal.

And that was… nice?

But the fluttering wouldn't stop. And Link didn't know why he said it, but he did. “I don't drink coffee?”

Ghirahim slumped. “Oh.”

“But I drink tea?” Link didn't know why it sounded like a question. And shouldn't he be working right now? How long had he been hiding out here?

And why was he hiding away from Ghirahim again? To be honest, he couldn't remember. Now he was staring deep into those dark eyes and—

Wait. Did Ghirahim just ask him on a date? Was Link reading too many romance novels again?

Ghirahim smiled, and Link remembered all of those times he had daydreamed about that smile. 

“Cool," Ghirahim said. "I've been wanting to ask so long, but I didn't know if you were already dating someone.”

Link was still trying to process everything. “Nope. I'm single?”

“Yeah,” Ghirahim said, grinning cheekily. “But you won't be single for much longer, now will you?”

Link wished he was on break so he would kiss him. But maybe that was still against workplace rules—he wasn't sure of the exact protocol for cases like this. Would he get fired if he kissed him? Was it normal to kiss so soon?

But Ghirahim was ahead of him, as always. He reached out and brushed a lock of Link's hair behind his ear. If he wasn't already blushing, he was now. And the _flutters_ —they were incredible.

“Can I kiss you?” Ghirahim asked.

Link tried to think about it in the few seconds he had. Yes, he could most definitely, absolutely kiss him. But was that against the rules?

But did he really care?

Link nodded. Ghirahim leaned down to kiss him, shoving Link back against the shelves. His lips were butterfly soft, if that even made sense, and Link wondered what lipstick he was wearing because it tasted fabulous. And Link didn't want the kiss to end—

But all too soon, Ghirahim pulled away, leaving Link frazzled and looking forward to the coffee/tea date more than ever.

“See you then,” Ghirahim said. He rubbed the traces of lipstick off Link's lips with the pad of his thumb, and Link almost melted down to the floor. “Now get back to work, library boy. I'll pick you up at noon for our date.”

Link nodded, staring blissfully at the man before him. One minute, he was cowering amongst the stacks. And now?

He had a kiss and a date and the promise of something _more._

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! Feedback is greatly appreciated. :-)
> 
> Inspired by [this](https://archiveofourown.org/works/7665004) fic.


End file.
